The New Normal & Staying Healthy During COVID-19

Hello Y'all! I hope you are staying healthy and well. This is such an unprecedented time and a post I never thought I'd be writing. Things are in such a crazy space and I have so many different emotions right now so I wanted to do something positive ~ share some helpful ideas and just chat with you. While you are keeping social distance, here are some tips for staying healthy during COVID-19. I've been practicing these myself so I can be the best version of myself during this trying time and while the kids are out of school.

Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, then drink 50 ounces of water/day.

Get sleep.

Try to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep. I am REALLY trying to work on this since I've been having trouble falling asleep with my mind racing! I am considering taking some melatonin temporarily.

Take your multivitamin and probiotic daily.

Try to stay as healthy as possible during this stressful time.

Pray or Meditate to start your your day with intention.

As cheesy as that sounds, it really makes a difference in my day.

It's also helpful to for everyone to stay sane. Whether you're a mom with Littles out of school or working remotely, then here are some tips to help you work from home!

Designate a workspace (if you don't already have one) and set office hours.

Currently, my blog "office hours" are early in the morning, during quiet time, and after the kids go to bed. I've been doing my morning routine and then letting the kids watch a show while eating breakfast (no judgement Y'all) to finish up work. This works currently but may have to change. When I'm not "working", then we are doing education, creative time, and exercise. school work, playing in the backyard, and doing "projects" that I've ordered from Amazon.

Keep your phone in a designated location (depending on your work status).

It's so easy to be distracted by all the news feed pop ups and texts about Corona virus, but I am trying to be present with the kids. I leave my phone in the charging area with the ringer on so I can hear if someone is calling.

Create a schedule.

My current schedule (since I'm not at the hospital most days) is broken up into blog work and then kids's time (education, exercise, & creative time). I do let them have screen time in the morning but the rest of the day is very busy.

Exercise.

Movement is good for your body, so try to do what you can with what you have even if it means just body weight. (I do a 1-minute plank, 25 push up, and 25 jumping jacks daily.)

To keep the kids active, we are taking walks, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline, playing on the playground, and setting up indoor obstacles courses.

Meal planning.

I do think of "Food as Medicine" and try to stay healthy during this stressful time. I am still making our usuals like GF spaghetti w/meat sauce, etc. and I'm also getting creative with snacks for the kids like "ants on a log".

For those of y'all in Fort Worth, there is an updated list of restaurants offering curbside pickup and delivery. We can grab good food and support our small businesses at the same time.

These are just easy things to do to keep some normalcy in our lives as we all adjust to a new normal. It makes me anxious to think about all those affected, but I want to share some positivity during this everchanging climate. I will be creating content to educate, entertain, and inspire during our social distancing. Who knows how long this will last but at least we can try to put a positive spin on it. Please let me know if there is anything that you want to be covered in the comments.

This Friday is my Grandfather's funeral in New York. My family and I won't be attending, and it makes me even sadder that my mom cannot go either. The risk is just too great, and she cannot pay last respects to her own father. It was surreal as all of this unfolded during our Spring Break in Austin and RV camping at Lake Whitney. I still had to post sponsored campaigns, but my heart was really hurting and I tried to be strong for the kids. They knew "Mommy is sad", but I didn't want to put a damper on thier fun. They are the sweetest things, and Baby M said that it was good because my Grandpa was with Toby and Sophie, my cats, in Heaven. Love the sweet and innocent hearts of the young ones.